


The Omega Mixup

by Aurum_Auri



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Dancer Katsuki Yuuri, Falling in love at a coffee shop, Fashion Designer Victor Nikiforov, M/M, Misunderstandings, Nesting, Omegaverse, Rut, Snowed In, lowkey pregnancy kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:27:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27435034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurum_Auri/pseuds/Aurum_Auri
Summary: Workaholics Victor and Yuuri find a kindred soul in one another at a single's mixer, of all places. Sick of the pressure from friends and coworkers to find a partner, they form a friendship, bemoaning the lack of free time and their general annoyance with their well-meaning friends.But for Victor and Yuuri, there is no 'just friends'. One snowy day, something has to give, and reveals a fundamental misunderstanding between them that could make or break everything they have.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Comments: 34
Kudos: 612





	The Omega Mixup

For Victor, it all started with a breakup. Not his own, but rather a member of the senior staff at Aria, the company he had founded several years ago. Georgi was a young alpha with a certain flair for the dramatic, and it made him a solid asset during the launch of Victor’s fashion label. However, when he was a hot mess on the heels of a nasty breakup, he was worse than useless. 

A meeting was called for all the senior staff, minus Georgi, to determine what should be done. Ideas were thrown back and forth until Mila, the voice of reason, finally put her foot down. “What Georgi needs right now is a temporary rebound. We need him functional for two more weeks, that’s it. We can help him through whatever happens after that. If we can’t buy two weeks, things are going to get rough around here.”

“I hate to say it, but you’re right,” Victor agreed. He steepled his fingers under his chin, thinking. “We need to hook Georgi up, and fast. But the last attempt with the dating site didn’t go well. Does anyone have any new suggestions?”

The half dozen people in the table around him were silent. He could almost hear crickets chirp, had this not been a skyscraper in the heart of the city. 

There was a knock, and the door to the room opened with a bang. A small cart with coffee was pushed in by a young alpha with a deep scowl and fine, blond hair. Victor gratefully accepted his mug, taking a draught. The intern, Yuri Plisetsky, milled around, passing out coffees, while Victor drummed his fingers against the table. His eyes snapped up. 

“Yuri, you’re young, surely you’d have a better idea than the rest of us. Where would someone go to find a relationship?”

Yuri let out a shallow bark of laughter. “Wow, you need help from me to get laid?” 

Victor groaned. “Not for me, for Georgi. The client needs these designs in two weeks and Georgi is holding us up. We need to get him out of this funk and working again. Surely you know something that isn’t another of those useless dating sites.”

For a moment, it was quiet. Yuri scrunched his nose as he considered the question. “Well, I’ve never used it, but I sometimes see ads for these dumb singles mixers. Just like… a place for alphas and omegas to meet. Maybe you’d get lucky there.” 

“That’s perfect. Yuri, could you please register Georgi for the next event? We need to get him back in the game as soon as absolutely possible.”

“Oh no no no,” Mila said. She clicked her tongue, a hand on her hip. “I don’t trust him to go alone, he’ll do something stupid somehow. Victor, go with him.”

“Why can’t you go with him?” Victor scoffed. “He’s a grown man, he doesn’t need me babysitting him.”

“He’s a menace to society and everyone else when he gets like this. For some reason, he actually listens to you. Plus, I wouldn’t be caught dead at one of those things,” Mila added with a laugh. 

There were mutterings around the room. Chris offered Victor an apologetic look. “Well she’s right. He listens to you better than he does to me, anyway,” he said. 

Victor groaned and steepled his hands over his temple. He was going to have to take one for the team. He was the leader. It would be his sacrifice, wouldn’t it? “Fine then. Yuri, could you please register Georgi and I for that silly mixer thing? And please, none of your pranks, if not for my sake, then at least for Georgi’s?”

Yuri stared for a long time, long enough for Victor to doubt that Yuri would agree. But he tidied up the cart and grinned. “Fine. I won’t do anything that will jeopardize Georgi hooking up with someone.”

Victor rubbed his temples. “Thank you. That’s all I ask.”

As Yuri left, Mila took a long drink of her coffee and cleared her throat, an impish twinkle in her eye. “So, if this works out, are you going to find someone, as well?”

“I don’t need to get laid to function, unlike some people,” Victor said pointedly, looking at Mila and then Chris. He shuffled his papers and stood up. Unlike some of the busybody alphas tittering like old church ladies, Victor had actual work to finish.

...

For Yuuri, it started with a lost bet. 

Phichit, the absolute demon that he was, giggled like a maniac as he signed Yuuri up for a night of pure hell on earth. 

“But why a singles mixer? Everyone there is going to be a… a loser,” Yuuri groaned. 

“Well, at least it has to be better than going to a bar and hoping to find a not-creepy alpha there. Don’t think of it like a punishment, Yuuri! I only do this out of love.”

“Mean,” Yuuri grumbled at last. “I’ll go, but I won’t make any promises.” 

“Just talk to one person, that’s all. And there’s free booze, so at the very least, you can get wasted! Win win!”

Yuuri shot Phichit a withering look, but finished the registration. The box was already ticked for ‘omega’, and his name was spelled out across the name box like a contract with the devil. Yuuri sighed and hit submit. One person. Just talk to one person, and then he could go to the bar. 

“I’m never making a bet against you again,” Yuuri said. Phichit only grinned. 

This was still certainly a terrible idea. A part of him wanted a relationship, sure, if only for the relief it would bring during heats. The rest of it seemed so stressful, so overwhelming. Friendship was hard enough, navigating the stresses of interpersonal relationships when there wasn’t a sexual aspect involved. 

The night of the event came too quickly, and Yuuri dressed in anxious silence. He should have never agreed to this. If he made a fool of himself, it would be bad enough. God forbid if someone actually took an interest in him somehow. But there was no more time for dread. Yuuri paused by the fridge, taking a long, _long_ drink from the bottle of shochu that was on the counter. 

He came up with a harsh breath. Ready as he’d ever be. 

…

“Come on, Georgi, we’re almost to the door. Just hold it together, okay? You’ll find someone much better than Anya, I’m sure of it.”

“But Anya was my soulmate! My destined omega! We were meant to be!” Georgi gasped. He clutched his chest and Victor had to gently but firmly pry his black painted nails up before they wrinkled the suit. 

Victor patted Georgi’s shoulder. “It just didn’t work out. But inside there might just be someone else. Why don’t you give it a shot? Have I ever been wrong before?”

Georgi morosely dabbed his eye with a handkerchief and nodded. “You might be right,” he admitted. Victory. Victor ushered Georgi into the building before he could change his mind again. At the front, there was a set of tables and boxes full of stickered name tags organized by last name. N, O, P, and Q were in the same line together, and Victor ushered Georgi ahead of him. 

The attendant dug for a moment after Georgi gave his name, presenting him with a name sticker that had a prominent green dot on it. Georgi solemnly plastered the sticker to the lapel of his suit. Victor stepped forward. “Nikiforov. Victor.”

The attendant shuffled briefly, and then handed him his sticker. ‘Victor Nikiforov’ was there, spelled correctly even. Yuri didn’t seem to deliberately misspell it in the registration forms, which Victor would call a win. Then he noticed the prominent purple dot beside his name. 

“Excuse me,” he said to the attendant. “I just wanted to double check the meanings of the colors with you before we go in?” 

The attendant sighed, as though the question had been asked a thousand times already tonight. “Green dots for alphas, orange for betas, purple for omegas.”

“That’s what I thought, thank you,” Victor said, stepping away with a hand to his temple. Georgi looked over at him, confused, still morosely dabbing the corner of his eye. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s just get in there.” Yuri was so dead when Victor got to work tomorrow. 

At the door to the mixer itself, a doorman greeted them and outlined a few rules. “You can come and go as you please as long as you’ve got your name tag on. Please refrain from scenting others. Refrain from any aggressive or sexual actions within the premises. Thank you and have fun.”

Victor ushered Georgi inside. He set to work, introducing Georgi around the room. It was awkward the first few introductions, as several omegas thought they were there _together_ and looking for a third, or they were hitting on Victor instead. Frustrated, Victor was forced to leave Georgi to his own devices and watch from the fringes. 

The room was fairly crowded with people. To Victor’s immense satisfaction, Georgi seemed to be hitting it off with a few omegas. He let out a sigh of relief. As long as Georgi met some people and started to recover, Victor could consider this a win. 

People occasionally made their way to the fringes to talk, but Victor quickly explained each time he was only here with a friend and wasn’t interested, thank you. Victor was busy enough with running his business, he didn’t have time for a relationship. 

An hour or two passed, and Victor eventually made his way over to the refreshments table, where a collection of cheap booze and snacks were set up. Victor reached for a cup of punch, only for his hand to bump into another that had gone for the same one. 

Victor looked up, startled, an apology leaping to his lips. “Oh, I’m sorry about that, you can take this one, I’ll grab this one,” he said, reaching for a different cup. He glanced back, finding beautiful brown eyes quite by accident. The man had black hair, a bit messy, like it had been hastily combed before leaving, and wide eyes behind blue frames. The name tag on the man’s chest read ‘Yuuri Katsuki’ beside a purple dot. 

“No, I’m sorry,” the man said. His voice was soft, right along the edge of timid. Even under the thick spray of scent neutralizers that were pumped throughout the room, Victor could catch just a faint whiff of warmth, a splash of sweetness that he couldn’t identify. Yuuri’s eyes did a full top to bottom sweep of Victor, lingering on Victor’s name. He quickly sipped his punch as color flooded his cheeks. “Hi, I’m Yuuri. It’s nice to meet you… Victor?”

“Victor,” he confirmed, offering a hand to shake. Yuuri returned it. “Nice to meet you Yuuri.”

“Uh, at the risk of sounding cheesy, I was wondering… do you… ah… participate in these things often?” Yuuri asked. “I mean- I just got here and I feel a bit overwhelmed already, and I saw you talking to people a minute ago, so I wasn’t sure if you had any advice or not.”

“Asking if I come here often?” Yuuri looked stricken, and Victor felt just a little bad. “I’m only teasing, it’s actually my first time here, too,” Victor said, watching Yuuri crack a small smile. “But don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll find someone, Yuuri.” He flashed his winningest grin, and Yuuri brightened even more. The smile seemed to light up his whole face, and more of that sweet, warm scent drifted through the air, heavily muffled, but just strong enough to finally pick up on. Yuuri smelled faintly of vanilla, with other notes that were harder to catch. 

“That’s reassuring, but I don’t even know if I want to find someone,” Yuuri grumbled. He leaned against the edge of the table, taking a long drink. Victor cocked his head, and Yuuri continued. “My roommate convinced me to come here because I have a hard time with my heats, and he thought having someone to help with it would make them less painful. But… I don’t know. I’m busy, and I don’t have the time or energy to play around with dating. It feels like that time has passed, and I have more important things to focus on now.”

Victor groaned sympathetically. His heart went out to this omega, it did. For once, it felt like someone understood. “Oh, I know that feeling well. I’m here helping a friend out, but everyone keeps telling me to find a nice partner and get laid. I’m fine, really,” Victor insisted. “I don’t need them meddling in my business. I enjoy my work, but it’s time consuming and I’m a busy man. I can’t be going to these things every night.”

“What do you do?” Yuuri asked. “If you don’t mind me asking.”

“I started my own business,” Victor said. “We do a lot of fashion design and consultation work, mostly, but we’ve had to pick up some work as production intermediaries to make ends meet for now. Things are going to take off soon, though, I can feel it.”

“That’s really fascinating,” Yuuri said. There was a sparkle in his eyes. He wasn't just being polite, he looked genuinely interested. “You design clothing?”

“I do! I worked for other designers and production houses before this, but I want more than just a few designs out there. I want a label all my own, a place in fashion week, magazines showing off my latest work... Ah, but you’re not here to listen to me go on and on about my dreams, I’m sorry,” Victor said quickly. 

“No, no, it’s really cool, I’ve never met a real life fashion designer before! I really hope you’re able to make your dreams come true,” Yuuri said, with a wide-eyed innocence that made Victor’s heart skip a beat. 

“Enough about me, though,” Victor said. “What do you do? What keeps you so busy that people think they need to meddle?”

“I’m a dancer,” Yuuri said. “I offer lessons on the side for extra money, but mostly I perform at the theater a few blocks away from here. It’s nothing as amazing as being a fashion designer, but it makes me happy.”

Victor mapped the nearby area and tried to place what theaters were nearby. He almost dropped his drink. A few blocks away, there was a massive, grand theater that put on seasonal ballets between orchestral shows. Fancy was an understatement when describing it. Everything about it was gilt gold and white marble, with beautiful stone statues and classy architecture. “You dance at the Morrow Theater?” 

“Not as the principal dancer or anything,” Yuuri said quickly. “But… yes, I do. Dancing is something I love very much, and it makes me happy to be able to do it every day, even if it’s hard work.”

Victor raked his eyes down Yuuri’s body as casually as he could. It had been hard to notice at first under the shoddy, untailored, unflattering suit that Yuuri wore, but there was definitely a lean grace to the way he moved. Talking about dance had made Yuuri’s expression change, and even his face seemed more animated and alive. It was beautiful. 

Victor felt his heart skip a beat. 

Yuuri looked confused for a moment, and though he glanced out to the dance floor for a moment, he looked back at Victor with a mix of emotions on his face. Resolve seemed to float to the top of the emotions as Yuuri took a long breath. “Would you… want to dance with me? I could show you?”

Victor grinned. “I would love to.” Yuuri took a quick breath and reached for Victor’s hand, guiding them both to the dance floor. 

The music was fairly generic, nothing too thrilling and with a fairly shoddy DJ running the mix. It still suited Yuuri’s purposes just fine, it seemed. Yuuri listened for the beat for a moment before clasping Victor’s hand, stepping out in a quick sweep of his feet. 

They let out a matched pair of laughs as Victor tried to follow along. He had taken dance lessons growing up, but nothing compared to the massive, ceaseless grace that Yuuri possessed. It quite literally swept him off his feet when Yuuri dipped him, before they spun around and Yuuri let Victor take the lead. 

Victor couldn’t stop smiling. It was quite alright, though, because Yuuri’s smile didn’t seem to falter for even a second either. Victor led Yuuri through one of the dances he remembered from growing up, and they switched off once more, growing comfortable in the easy give and take of leading. 

With Yuuri, dancing felt easier than breathing. They ended the last song of the night locked in a close embrace of a pose, breathing hard. Yuuri’s eyes sparkled as the lights came up. “Victor, that was—”

“Victor! There you are!” Georgi cried out, interrupting whatever Yuuri had been about to say. Yuuri faltered. Georgi approached, and Yuuri stepped away with a deep flush. Even this was attractive. 

“Is this your friend?” Yuuri asked, watching Georgi come to a stop beside them, a giggling, slightly drunk omega on his arm. He looked a bit drunk himself, glassy eyed and grinning. 

“Yuuri, this is Georgi. Georgi, Yuuri. And this is…?”

“Eliza,” the blonde omega tittered, slurring and smiling happily. “Nice to meet you!”

“Victor, she’s soo nice,” Georgi said, animatedly talking. “Eliza and I are soulmates! We are destined to be together!” 

Considering they were the exact words used to describe Anya, who had not only broken Georgi’s heart, but smashed it into little pieces, Victor would reserve judgement. He smiled blandly. “I’m happy for you! Did you get her phone number so you can call her later?” 

“Oh, right!” Georgi said, fumbling to get his phone out. The two traded numbers while Yuuri watched with a smile. 

“I’m very happy for you two,” he said, sounding far more genuine than Victor felt. “I hope things go well! Oh, Victor, I was thinking, maybe if you wanted to see a show sometime, I could get you a ticket? I get extra ones all the time, and my roommate can only sit through so many before he gets sick of it,” he said with a bright laugh. “I get orchestra and ballet tickets, so you can have your pick.”

Victor beamed. “I would love that! Here, let me give you my number,” he said, and he set a contact for himself in Yuuri’s phone. Yuuri sent him a text with a smiling emoji and Victor grinned. 

“And I hope things work out for you at your fashion business,” Yuuri said earnestly. He leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, “and if your coworkers give you any shit about not dating, tell them to mind their own business! You can live your life how you want!”

Victor laughed brightly. “Oh, Yuuri, I’ll definitely let them know. Thanks for a fun night.”

“No, thank you, I had a much better time than I expected. Oh, but my roommate will be so mad I didn’t come home with an alpha,” Yuuri said with a laugh. “Well, like I said, he can mind his own damn business. Thanks again, Victor! Have a good night!”

“You too!” Victor said. He waved like a fool as Yuuri headed off. Even in the terrible suit, Victor could see the absolutely divine ass Yuuri had. 

Georgi grinned. “Victooooor. I see you met someone too.” 

Victor wiped the smile off his face. “It’s not what you think, really. We hit it off purely because neither of us want to date anyone. It’s not a relationship thing. But I don’t mind being friends with Yuuri, it was nice to talk to someone different.”

“Well, you two seemed pretty happy dancing,” Eliza said. “Very cute together!”

Victor smiled placidly. “I should be getting this Casanova back home for work tomorrow. Georgi has a lot to catch up on in the office. It was lovely meeting you, Eliza.” 

She hummed, frowning for a moment. “Why does your name tag say ‘omega’ on it?” 

Victor peeled the name tag sticker off with a grimace.“Someone’s idea of a prank.”

“Haha, that’s pretty funny,” she said. “I have to head out too! Goodnight, Georgi, don’t forget to call!”

“I won’t, my darling dearest Eliza!” Georgi crooned. He smiled dreamily as she went. This worked out even better than Victor could have ever dreamed. 

…

Yuuri hummed as he let himself into his apartment. He had expected the night to be terrible, but truthfully… 

It wasn’t often that Yuuri made new friends. Usually an extrovert took Yuuri under their wing, so to speak, and dragged Yuuri around. This was probably the first friend in a while Yuuri made all on his own. 

Victor. 

It was often said that there was a delicacy to omegas, something beautiful. Yuuri could see Victor was certainly attractive in that delicate, ethereal way. His hair was long, halfway down his back and gleaming like spun silver threads. Those blue eyes sparkled brighter than jewels. Yuuri couldn’t help but imagine the warmth behind them as they had laughed and talked and danced. 

Phichit was waiting up inside, leaning forward with a grin. “Yuuri! You’re back so late, I thought you’d be home an hour ago! How did it go? Did you meet anyone?”

“Well, I made a new friend,” Yuuri said. 

Phichit looked ready to burst, barely containing his excitement. “A new friend, huh?”

Yuuri rolled his eyes and laughed. He sat down with a groan. “Just a friend, don’t get so excited. Another omega, his name is Victor. We talked about work.”

“Yuuuri, you were supposed to bring home an alpha!” Phichit said. “I was ready to remind you about protection and everything! You could have gotten laid and instead you talked about work all night? My work is really cut out for me.”

“It was a nice conversation! He’s really interesting. You’re worse than my mother when it comes to finding a nice alpha for me,” Yuuri teased. 

His phone chirped and Yuuri glanced down. It was from Victor. _Thanks again for tonight! It was a lot of fun!_ Yuuri couldn’t help but smile and send off a reply. _I had a lot of fun too! Thank you!_

“You know, if you want to date omegas, I wouldn’t judge you either-” 

Yuuri flushed and shook his head. “No, it’s really not like that. I do want to be better friends with him, though.”

“Well then, get some coffee with him! Hang out! My little boy is all grown up,” Phichit sniffed, pretending to wipe a tear away. 

Yuuri stood up, laughing. “I’m older than you! I’m going to bed.”

“Night!” Phichit called. Yuuri headed to bed, and he slept hard, waking up late for rehearsal. There was just enough time to throw on his practice gear and run to the theater. 

His day was loaded with workouts, planning, stage blocking, and all sorts of prep work for the upcoming show. There wasn’t much time to think about anything, let alone last night’s events, and for that, Yuuri was grateful. A part of him was embarrassed by how forward he’d been, but it was just easier talking to other omegas like Victor, instead of to alphas. 

With Victor, everything had felt right. 

…

Yuuri wasn’t sure how they ended up at the coffee shop together. 

He had been getting himself a treat after a hard day teaching Saturday morning lessons. Still in leggings and a sweatshirt, he was standing in line when he heard a surprised voice behind him. “Yuuri?”

He turned around. Victor stood there, looking stunning in a navy suit, his hair swept back from his face in a French braid. An elegant scarf hung off his shoulders. Victor seemed just as surprised to see Yuuri there. “Victor! I didn’t know you came to this coffee shop.”

“I don’t, usually,” Victor said. “I was signing some documents nearby and wanted a little pick me up. Is this your usual place?”

Yuuri nodded. The faint scent he had noticed at the mixer was stronger now without clouds of scent neutralizer cloying in the air. He could pick up on subtle notes of rose and cedar, deep and yet crisp like a winter wind. It was a floral, aromatic kind of scent, not too unusual for an omega, and probably the most wonderful scent Yuuri had ever noticed on someone. 

He stepped forward as the person in front of him finished, then quickly ordered, trying not to be distracted by the amazing smell behind him. Victor placed his next and then found them a table to sit down at. “Here we go.”

“Thanks, Victor,” Yuuri said. The soft babble of the coffee shop filled the air, quiet and a bit soothing. “I didn’t expect to see you again so soon. Don’t tell me you’re working on a Saturday, too!”

“The grind never stops,” Victor said. Their drinks arrived, and Yuuri took a sip of the hot tea. “Luckily it was the last thing I needed to take care of, at least for a few hours, anyway. How has your week been?”

“Busy, but that’s normal,” Yuuri said with a laugh. “I just wrapped up my last lesson earlier.”

They chatted for a while, the conversation coming easier than Yuuri could imagine. Just like before, it never felt stilted or awkward. Time slipped away before Yuuri knew it. Neither of them even realized how long they had been talking until Victor’s phone rang, startling them both. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’ve got to take this! We should definitely have coffee again sometime!” Victor said, hurrying off with a wave. He vanished out the door and took his sweet rose scent with him. 

What was it Phichit had said that night? That Yuuri should make friends with Victor and get coffee sometime? Or was Victor just being polite when he said they should do it again? Yuuri sighed and drank the last of his tea. It was cold by now and a bit unpleasant, not as nice as talking to Victor had been. 

Yuuri ordered another for the road, and he sat back down, waiting for it to be prepared. 

A faint hint of winter and rose lingered on the air. Yuuri glanced around, but Victor was long gone. He leaned forward and peered across the table. Victor’s scarf had been forgotten on the seat. He picked it up gingerly, trying to resist the urge to bury his face in it. The pheromones coming off of it were indisputably Victor’s. Surely Yuuri’s new friend hadn’t gotten too far. 

He pulled out his phone and fired off a quick text. He could only cross his fingers and hope he didn’t interrupt an important call. _Hi Victor! Thanks for the coffee today. You left your scarf at the table, though_

The reply took a moment to arrive, long enough for Yuuri’s tea to be finished up and passed over the counter. At last, Yuuri’s phone chirped. 

_So that’s where it went! Could you please hold onto it for me? I’m already in a car back to the office, or I would grab it myself!_

Yuuri took a shaky breath. The scarf was already tempting him with bad ideas. He responded, _Don’t worry, I’ve got it. You can have it back the next time we have coffee?_ He second guessed every word, erased it twice, and swapped the question mark for an exclamation mark and back again a few times before he finally closed his eyes and hit send. The reply was instant this time. 

_Sounds like a plan! Thank you Yuuri!!!! You saved me! And my scarf as well!! Are you available on Tuesday morning? I have an opening in my schedule that day, we could work something out if you’re free_

_Tuesday works, I don’t have rehearsal until later that day. See you then!_

_See you!!_

Yuuri’s heart was hammering in his chest as he read the last two words. They had sealed the deal, hadn’t they? Another day to get coffee and talk, that was fun, right? It was what friends were supposed to do, now that they were grown up adults with busy lives. So why then was Yuuri’s heart racing so fast at the thought?

He hurried home with the fresh tea and let himself in. Afternoon was quickly drawing to a close, and Yuuri’s stomach was making itself known, so he started cooking. It eased some of his stress. The rote actions of chopping ingredients, eyeballing the sauces and seasonings as he tossed them in, were soothing in their own way, and the scent of cooking meat and veggies filled the air. 

Phichit came home not too long after Yuuri did, taking a deep breath as he opened the door. “Ah, smells good! What’s for dinner?”

“Just some stir fry, nothing fancy,” Yuuri said. “I’m actually just finishing up, if you want to grab some plates.”

“Don’t mind if I do, I’m starving. Thanks, Yuuri,” he said, beaming as he grabbed a pair of plates. “Oh, hey, what’s this now?”

Yuuri looked back and nearly dropped the food onto the floor. Phichit was holding a long, silky scarf in his hands. “Ah! Don’t touch that!” Yuuri screeched. 

“Whose scent is on this? Did some creepy person give this to you? I can’t tell what secondary they are… Alpha? Beta?”

Yuuri flushed and snatched it away. “It’s Victor’s, he left it at the coffee shop so I’m holding onto it until I see him again.”

“Coffee shop with Victor?” Like a dog hearing one of its favorite words, Phichit perked up. “What’s this about a coffee shop with Victor? You were being social?”

“We ran into each other by accident, and we talked over coffee. It’s nothing.”

“You’re blushing,” Phichit crooned. 

Yuuri hid his face. “I’m not!” 

“You are! You are! C’mon, Yuuri, I won’t judge. Maybe this is why all those blind dates with alphas never worked out, because you like omegas better— mmf mmm!” Yuuri shoved a heaping spoonful of meat and veggies into Phichit’s mouth, silencing him. Through a thick mouthful, he mumbled, “Yuuuri!”

“Victor is definitely just a friend,” Yuuri said defensively. “Just. A friend.”

Phichit swallowed. “Suuuure. Okay.”

Yuuri would just have to be careful tonight and make sure that he didn’t touch the scarf too much, or it would leave too much of his scent on it. That would just be weird to hand back, wouldn’t it? Or was he overthinking it? Yuuri muffled a groan behind an overlarge bite. 

Tuesday couldn’t come fast enough. 

…

Tuesday couldn’t have taken longer to arrive if it tried. Victor drummed his fingers on the table as the meeting droned on and on. There was a nervous energy he didn’t normally have, not anxious but excited. 

He had expected Yuuri to be a nice, casual acquaintance, and the coffee meeting on Saturday had definitely been a pleasant surprise in that regard. What he hadn’t expected was for Yuuri to be so… charming. Cute. And his ass in those yoga pants had to be illegal. 

Victor paused his drumming, trying to will away the first hints of an erection before it could start. No, just because Yuuri was the kind of omega that was attractive, interesting, and easy to spend time with, it didn’t mean that Victor necessarily wanted anything more than that. Certainly not. Victor enjoyed their conversations, and Yuuri’s sweet scent was certainly something Victor struggled to forget, but they were always meant to be friends. Victor didn’t have time for more. 

The meeting dragged on longer than it should have. Georgi was waxing poetic about the pieces he’d put together. While it was good to see him enthusiastic about his work again, Victor was itching to leave. At last, the presentation finished. Victor gave a few comments and adjustments, and after a brief discussion with the others, things were wrapped up. Victor was the first out of his seat. 

“You’re in a hurry. Hot date?” Chris said with a smile. 

“Just trying to meet with a friend of mine. Running a bit late, let’s talk later,” Victor said. He grabbed his papers and hustled back to his office to drop them off, then into the elevator. 

After tipping the driver generously to drive a bit faster, Victor was only a couple minutes late to the coffee shop. He hurried past the early autumn chill and falling leaves. Inside, with a pair of steaming cups in front of him, sat Yuuri. A soft beanie was perched on his head, looking suspiciously like a pair of very cute cat ears. Adorable. 

Victor sat down, gratefully accepting his coffee. “Thank you for ordering for me. I’m so sorry I’m late, I got held up in a meeting.”

“You’re fine!” Yuuri said. He sipped his tea with a warm smile. Yuuri turned and grabbed a piece of cloth that had been folded on the table beside him. “I have your scarf for you. Sorry, I uh, kind of accidentally… got some of my scent on it. It was cold walking here, so I might have put it on for a few minutes. I can pay for dry cleaning.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Victor said. A foreign feeling bubbled up inside him. It wasn’t unpleasant at all. In fact… it almost felt good. “I’m not upset or anything, and I would rather you be warm. Plus, you smell wonderful. There are much worse scents I could have on my clothes,” he added with a laugh and a wink. Yuuri’s whole face went bright red. He looked mortified. Victor tried to casually sniff the edge of the scarf.

His own scent had faded by now, but Yuuri’s was fresh and heavy from where the scarf rubbed against the scent glands on his neck. The vanilla scent gave it a bit of decadence, sharpened with a hint of warm cinnamon and matcha to give it a homier feel. It was the kind of scent Victor wanted to bottle up. 

Yuuri buried his embarrassment behind a long drink of his green tea. “How are things going with Georgi and Eliza?” he asked. 

“Pretty good, I think. Georgi is happy, and that’s all that matters. I don’t think any of us expected to get that lucky, but we’ll see how it plays out.”

“He’s lucky to have friends like you,” Yuuri said. 

Victor laughed. “It's actually quite selfish, to be honest. He’s a romantic at heart. His work suffers when he’s in the midst of a breakup, and he takes it quite hard, so he isn’t able to focus on deadlines or being productive. We’ve got a big deadline approaching and need him on his game is all.”

Yuuri smiled knowingly. “It’s still nice, even if you have selfish reasons.” 

Like before, their coffee shop conversation was refreshing in a way most conversations with people weren’t. Yuuri was so insightful, so alive. They talked about Victor’s busy days orchestrating endless fashion chaos, and he found himself showing off pictures of his beloved poodle, Makkachin. In turn, he got to hear all about the work that went into the next ballet to show at the theater, the kids that Yuuri taught, and the crazy antics of Yuuri’s roommate. 

Victor watched the animation in Yuuri’s eyes as he spoke, the way they sparkled when he listened to Victor speak. With Yuuri, things felt right. 

The lunch hour ended far, far too quickly for Victor’s taste, and he could only afford to steal away a secret thirty minutes extra before he was forced to say goodbye. Yuuri waved as they went their separate ways on the street. 

Victor held the scarf tightly in his hand as he watched Yuuri go. 

In the office, the scarf tormented him. The smell of it was like heaven incarnate, sweet and fragrant. It was pure coincidence. Of course a garment worn so close to something as intimate as Yuuri’s scent glands would be saturated so heavily with sweet, omega pheromones. But it did wicked things to his imagination as he sat there, trying desperately to focus on the tasks in front of him. 

He couldn’t take it any longer. His resolve crumbled, and he buried his nose in the plush scarf, eyes closing as he breathed in deeply the rich scent. Friends should know what the other person smells like, right? It wasn’t that odd. 

There was a knock at the door. Like a child caught doing something naughty, Victor hastily set the scarf aside on the desk, out of his hands. He straightened up his papers and then shuffled them into a slight disarray that looked far more natural. It wasn’t until he was poised with a pen that he cleared his throat and said, “Come in.”

Chris stepped inside with a folder. “I sent an email for whenever you get to it, but I wanted to go over a few documents in person with you before I got too involved—”

The discussion was brief and easy enough, despite the distraction roaring in Victor’s mind. They leaned over the paper, making one last correction before Victor gave his approval. Chris thanked him and stood up straight again. 

He lingered near the desk, his eyes straying to the corner. “I thought you said you didn’t have a hot date today,” Chris teased. His eyes twinkled with mischief. “Aren’t you the naughty one here, bringing a scented scarf into work. Don’t tell me you _lied_ to your dear second in command.”

“It was cold, he had my scarf, he used it,” Victor said dismissively. “Then he gave it back. That’s what friends do.”

“And what is his name?” Chris grinned wider. 

Victor frowned and glared daggers. It didn’t do a thing to Chris’s impressive, unwavering swagger. Victor massaged his temples with a groan. “His name is none of your business, and he’s genuinely just a friend I made.”

“So prickly,” Chris said. “Fine, I know when I’m not wanted. But he definitely smells good, whoever he is. If he’s looking for a different kind of friend, let him know I’m here.” 

“He’s definitely _not,_ but if he changes his mind, I’m sure I’ll let him know.” 

Chris’s grin cracked wider. “You’re so wound up. You’re sure he’s just a friend? You’ve got your hackles raised and everything. Must be some friend~”

“Don’t you have work to do instead of nosing your way into my private life?” Victor groaned. He rubbed his face, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. He usually didn’t mind Chris’s needling, but he wasn’t in the mood today, and it was showing more than usual. 

Chris seemed to notice, because he finally stepped back, a strange look on his face. “Well, sorry for bothering you, then. It’s just that you don’t normally have a private life to speak of. I’ll make those changes and pass them on to Mila. Let me know if you’ve got any other remarks about the email I sent you.”

“Thanks, Chris, will do,” Victor said. When he was alone again, he buried his face in his hands, letting out a deep groan. He looked at the scarf lying innocently on the desk. Maybe he was a bit of a workaholic, but Chris’s friendly poking felt more invasive than it usually did. Yuuri was really, truly just a friend, and one of the first Victor had made in a long time. 

Certainly the first he didn’t work with on a regular basis, and the first that he actually spent time with outside of work. Yuuri was… different. It was hard to put it into words exactly what that difference was, exactly what it was that made him draw Victor’s eye and hold him there, transfixed. 

When he was with Yuuri, he didn’t want to look away, not even for a moment. 

...

Yuuri didn’t know quite how it happened, but over the next month, the coffee meetups quickly became a regular thing. Of course it was never daily, never the same time of day or day of the week. One of them would get a free moment in their schedule one day, and the other would check their schedule. Sometimes it worked out, and sometimes it didn’t. 

One Sunday morning, when the weather was particularly warm and beautiful for the season, Victor sent Yuuri a text asking if he was free, and Yuuri rolled out of bed with a grin, already texting him back. 

He dressed quickly in a cozy turtleneck and a pair of comfortable jeans that hugged his legs just right. Yuuri grabbed his keys and phone and headed out the door. The coffee shop was only a ten minute walk away, and he arrived to find Victor, not in their usual spot, but seated at one of the outdoor patio tables. Beside him sat a fluffy brown dog.

Yuuri’s heart melted and he ran forward, immediately kneeling before the beautiful poodle. “Oh my gosh, you must be Makkachin, you’re so cute, yes you are,” Yuuri cooed. Makkachin woofed happily, her tail sweeping quickly over the ground. Without warning, she leapt at Yuuri, knocking him to the ground. Victor scrambled to pull her off, but Yuuri was laughing. 

“I’m so sorry Yuuri- Makka! That was very rude, we know better than to jump on strangers,” Victor chastised.

Yuuri scruffed Makkachin behind the ears. “Oh, she’s fine, she’s just excited! Aren’t you, girl? Oh yes, you’re just the most precious thing!” Makkachin licked his cheek and Yuuri laughed again. Victor’s own smile was like the sun as he gazed down at them. 

Of course, Makkachin wasn’t able to come to every coffee date, but after that day, whenever he was able to, Victor brought her along. He was often so busy, he didn’t get as much time with her as he’d like. Yuuri was happy to force his hand, so to speak. 

Yuuri surprised Victor in turn with a ticket to his next performance. Victor brought him a bouquet of yellow roses and Yuuri had blushed the entire time he’d accepted them. Yuuri returned the favor by giving one of the best performances of his life. 

And for a time, everything was wonderful. 

Fall came to a close, and winter drew in with forecasters predicting more snow than usual. Yuuri always took such predictions with a grain of salt. Last year, they’d said the same, with nothing to show for it. 

It was on a chilly Thursday afternoon when Yuuri left his early morning rehearsal, finally done for the day. He texted Victor, and was pleased to get a fairly quick reply. Victor said he’d be there in twenty. Yuuri pulled his coat a bit tighter around him to ward off the early winter bite, and he set off a brisk walk. 

Snowflakes had started to fall by the time Yuuri arrived. He peeled off his mittens and rubbed his hands together for warmth, giving his boots one last stamp over the rug to knock off the dusting of white that clung to them. Victor was another five minutes out, so Yuuri placed orders for them both and waited. 

It was at least ten minutes after that when Victor finally arrived. “Wow, I didn’t expect there to be so much traffic today. Sorry I’m late.”

“It’s fine!” Yuuri said. “I’m just glad you’re safe, I didn’t realize it would start snowing.”

“It’s really coming down out there,” Victor said. He noticed the still warm, though no longer steaming, cup of coffee. “Oh thank you! I’m freezing!” He plopped down and took a large drink, shaking the snowflakes out of his hair. 

The winter chill led them to ordering extra drinks, chasing away the storm’s chill with warm stories of Makkachin’s shenanigans and Phichit’s latest drama. Fewer and fewer people came in as time passed, and when Yuuri looked up, he noticed the cafe was almost empty. The lone other person was packing up and heading out. 

Outside the window, the snow had picked up, and everything was a wall of white. His eyes went wide. “Oh, that’s a lot of snow.”

Victor turned around in his seat. “Uh oh, that’s much more than they were predicting, right?” He dug his phone out and pulled up a weather app. Yuuri did the same, checking it out. They shared a look. What had initially been a forecast for a little bit of snow was now a winter storm warning, coming hard and fast and only going to get worse as the evening drew on. 

“Should we wrap this up?” Yuuri said uneasily. “It might get hard to get home.”

“I think you’re right. You walk, don’t you? Let me call you a ride, I don’t want you to have to fight through this blizzard just to get back.”

“Oh, no, it’s alright! You don’t have to do that,” Yuuri said quickly. “It’s so close, I would feel bad.”

“Well, you could share a car with me. I have to call one anyway, so we might as well save on the fare.”

Yuuri frowned, still uneasy with the idea. It had been a bad idea to come out today, it seemed, because getting home would be an adventure for them both, and certainly not in a good way. “I guess we can share. If you’re sure you don’t mind?”

“Not at all!” Victor said. He smiled wide, and Yuuri beamed back. Victor was so thoughtful sometimes, it made Yuuri’s chest feel warm. He wanted to give that feeling back to Victor. Omegas had to stick together, after all. The world was harsh, and Yuuri wanted to support him however he could in turn. 

Their ride took a while to arrive. They grabbed hot drinks for the road on their wait, a nervous energy hanging in the air. Victor’s scent had shifted slightly, still floral and refreshing, but soured with a slight tang of worry. Yuuri patted Victor’s arm as their ride pulled up outside. 

“We’ll make it just fine. I’m sure of it,” Yuuri said with a smile. “The roads don’t look too bad yet, at least.”

Victor looked surprised by the words, but he smiled warmly at Yuuri. “Of course! Let’s hurry out. Do you need to borrow a scarf?” Victor teased. 

Yuuri laughed and elbowed him gently. “Not this time. After you?” He yanked his hat down over his ears and they both headed out toward the swirling vortex of snow. As the cafe door opened, the sudden rush of cold air nearly took Yuuri’s breath away. He braced himself and carefully trudged through the quickly accumulating snow, careful not to slip. Victor wobbled once, and Yuuri steadied him. The inside of the car was blessedly warm. Yuuri gave his address and they were off. 

The roads were far worse than Yuuri expected. What should have been only a few minutes became a painfully slow crawl through a mess of backed up traffic. Still, it was miles better than trudging through the snow steadily piling up on the sidewalks. 

Yuuri was getting more anxious as they neared his apartment. Victor lived so far away, and with the roads in this state and getting worse by the minute, Yuuri hated the idea of sending him off alone. His scent must have been giving away his worry because Victor gave his shoulder a tiny bump, enough to catch Yuuri’s attention. Victor offered a tiny smile. 

A block outside his apartment, Yuuri tipped his head up, his decision made. Words spilled out in a rush before he could second guess them. “Victor, please stay here for a while. At least until the roads clear up?”

“What?” Victor sputtered. He didn’t look disgusted, which was nice. 

“It’s a long way back to your apartment. The roads are terrible right now and this snowstorm is just getting worse. I would feel a lot better if you weren’t trying to get home in this mess. But only if you’re comfortable with it!” What if Victor thought Yuuri was being too weird or desperate? His chest ached. 

As the moments stretched out, silent seconds passing between them, Yuuri thought perhaps he’d said the wrong thing. Victor drummed his fingers on the door. Yuuri bit his lip. 

“I… are you sure you want me to stay?” Victor said. “Won’t your roommate mind?”

“My roommate is out of town visiting family,” Yuuri said. “Friends don’t let friends take dangerous roads in snowstorms.” He offered a mischievous grin, trying to hide the way nerves clawed at his heart. “I can also make cocoa?”

Victor was quiet for another minute, thinking. Yuuri squeezed the edge of the seat, trying to hide his doubts. They pulled up to a stop outside Yuuri’s apartment at last. “If you’re really sure you don’t mind?” Victor said. 

“Of course! I have plenty of food, too. I would feel much better if you weren’t out and about until the roads are clear,” Yuuri said. 

Victor sighed. “Well, if you insist. At least let me get the fare, then.” Together they trudged through the piles of snow up to the building’s door. It was warm within, and Yuuri led Victor up to his apartment. He was thankful that he kept things fairly tidy. They left their shoes beside the door. 

Victor looked around with a smile. Yuuri didn’t feel self-conscious as Victor picked his way to the small couch. The apartment was on the smaller side, but he and Phichit had made it homey. It was clean, comfortable, and bright. As long as Yuuri pulled the curtains closed and hid them away the swirling snow outside, it was perfectly cozy. 

They shared cocoa and sat on the couch, their legs flush against one another. They turned the weather on to watch while they sipped and chatted. And as the winter snowstorm swirled around them, the roads only grew worse and worse outside. Conditions weren’t getting any better. 

Victor looked uneasy. “Well this doesn’t look good.”

“I’m so sorry,” Yuuri groaned, rubbing his face. “I really thought it would clear up a bit. You’re welcome to stay as long as you want.”

Victor sighed. “I think I might have to. You’re sure you don’t mind?”

“Of course not! This is my fault, anyway,” Yuuri assured him. “Stay as long as you need to. I’m really so, so sorry.”

“It’s okay, Yuuri! Don’t worry about it. Let me just call my dog sitter.” Yuuri cocked his head. “My neighbor is allergic to dogs, but has a daughter who loves them. So I pay the daughter to feed and let Makkachin out when I have to work late. Don’t worry, I’ll give her a bonus for having to deal with the snow, and she’s always happy to spend time with Makka.”

“Oh! That’s a relief,” Yuuri said. At least they didn’t have to worry about Makkachin missing out on her dinner. 

“Give me just a moment to call,” Victor said. He stood with a stretch. 

Yuuri nodded. “Go right ahead. I’ll start cooking some dinner, since you’re staying.” Yuuri hummed as he dug through the fridge, picking out a selection of ingredients he could use to throw something together. He heard Victor come in. From the relief on his face, it seemed like the call had gone well. Yuuri beamed. “Wanna help cook?”

Victor joined in, and they worked together to prepare a hot, delicious meal. The warmth of the stove filtered through the kitchen and into the den, so Yuuri invited Victor out to the couch with their heavy plates. 

“Phichit and I usually sit out here to eat. But if you wanna sit in the kitchen, just let me know.” 

Victor shook his head. “This is fine!” he insisted. He took one end of the sofa. Yuuri claimed the other, returning to how they sat earlier. The snowstorm continued outside, but inside, there was only a domestic kind of peace and relaxation. 

…

A part of Victor sincerely wished that, when morning came, the roads were clear and he could return to work. The night had been almost painful. Had it been enjoyable? Of course. The food had been amazing, and spending time with Yuuri was always amazing. But Yuuri’s scent was painfully distracting, sending Victor’s mind spiraling all night long in the sweetest kind of suffering. 

Friends. They were friends, just _friends_. It was all Victor wanted, all Yuuri wanted from this relationship. And yet the animal part of Victor’s brain, horny and hungry, was dying. Every square foot of Yuuri’s apartment smelled rich and heavy like sweet omega. Phichit’s scent seemed to have faded somewhat, but Yuuri’s was still fresh and absolutely everywhere. 

They had sat beside one another on the cramped little sofa, their bodies touching from shoulder to knee, and all Victor could think about was how sweet Yuuri smelled, how warm his body was against Victor’s, even through their clothing. 

This was dangerous. Yuuri didn’t even seem to blink at the idea of inviting an alpha into his home, treating Victor just like any one of his other friends. Did he not worry that Victor’s tenuous thread of self control might snap? Victor had only meant to stay for an hour, maybe two, while the roads cleared off. Now, there was no telling how long they’d be snowed in together, and Victor was exercising all of his restraint. 

He heard Yuuri shuffle out of his bedroom, the quiet footsteps followed by a sleepy little yawn. 

“They started clearing the roads, but it snowed hard again early this morning. Not to mention everything is frozen solid,” Victor said. He was looking out the window, and finally he turned to see a soft, sleep-rumpled Yuuri leaning against the door frame. “I told my employees to work from home. I don’t want them trying to go in with it like this.”

“My rehearsal is canceled, too,” Yuuri said. “I think a lot of places are telling people to stay home. We’ve got plenty of food here, though, so I’m not concerned. You can stay until the roads clear out. I just hope it stops icing up out there.”

“What a beautiful pain in the ass,” Victor said. He stepped aside, holding the curtain up, and Yuuri shuffled forward with another yawn, peering out. 

The view was stunning. Trees, cars, even the eaves of the buildings across the street, were coated in a scintillating layer of ice. Icicles bared their glistening teeth from every overhanging ledge, and mountains of snow were piling up faster than they could be stained black by the streets. 

“It is beautiful,” Yuuri said softly. He smiled up at Victor, and the tightness in Victor’s chest clenched until it was almost painful. Yuuri’s eyes were glittering in the clear, white light of the snowy morning, his messy hair looking so soft that Victor had to stop himself from reaching out to touch. 

So what if a part of him wanted to leave? The rest very much wanted to stay. 

… 

Was this a mistake? Yuuri couldn’t decide. There must be a special place in hell for people like Yuuri, and this was clearly it.

The day went by at a leisurely pace. Occasionally, Victor had to check his phone and type out a quick email to someone working from home, but all his work was in the office, and there was very little he could do while away. Yuuri could smell a bit of frustration in Victor’s scent every time he checked his email. There was a guilty pang in Yuuri’s chest. 

But then Victor would look up, and he would smile at Yuuri, his expression so soft. Yuuri’s worries just melted away each time. They watched a movie, Yuuri taught Victor how to play one of his video games, and they mostly sat around and enjoyed one another’s company. 

It was so strange to have the time to simply _be_. Even their coffee meetups felt like stolen moments between other responsibilities. 

Victor was just _so good._ He was gentle but firm, cutting when he needed to be, but he was never cruel about it. His passion for his work made his eyes light up when he talked about it, and it made him even more beautiful than he usually was. Yuuri had never met another omega quite like him. 

But for all the pure thoughts and amazement, a darker longing lingered at the edge of his mind. It wasn’t the kind of thoughts an omega usually had, especially not about other omegas. 

It was hard to breathe when he was close to Victor’s side, unable to think through the floral, wintery scent. His senses went on overdrive, and all he could think about was the way Victor smiled, the way Victor spoke, the sound of his voice. Perhaps all that attention was the only reason Yuuri noticed the small changes as they happened. 

A light flush gathered on Victor’s cheeks around midday. Victor started to sit closer to Yuuri, his scent shifting almost imperceptibly. There was a new depth to it, and it drew Yuuri in more than usual. Their bodies were much closer to one another than yesterday. 

Yuuri tried not to think about it too much. After all, omegas often cuddled together when they were comfortable with one another. Physical contact was a need for some omegas, and Yuuri and Phichit certainly had their share of purely platonic cuddle times in the past. 

The curious thing was that, once that first cuddle was, in a sense, established, it was like the floodgates opened. First Victor leaned against Yuuri’s shoulder, and Yuuri felt himself smile. Then Victor nuzzled his nose into the crook of Yuuri’s neck, slowly breathing in Yuuri’s scent. It sent shivers down Yuuri’s spine. 

When Yuuri didn’t move away, the cuddling grew steadily closer. Yuuri laced his fingers with Victor’s. Their bodies twined together. When he noticed the apartment felt chilly on his exposed skin, Yuuri reached for a blanket and pulled it over them. Victor relished in the closeness in a way Yuuri hadn’t expected, clinging on like a limpet to Yuuri’s body. 

Well, there were worse fates than spending the evening curled up beside an absolute cuddle monster like Victor. 

They dozed off on the couch together that night, nodding off to the gentle glow of the quiet television and the swirling wind and snow outside the window. It wasn’t until the next morning that Yuuri realized something was wrong. Victor’s scent was far, far different than it normally was. 

Yuuri was more familiar with the normal scent than he would admit to— Victor’s forgotten scarf all those weeks ago had been an indulgence Yuuri liked to pretend to forget about. But sometimes at night, he’d remember the way he’d pressed it to his nose and breathed in deep, palming himself until he came. He’d feel guilty, repulsed with himself, and would then drive the thought from his mind until the next time it happened. 

The morning was softly lit, and Victor was the first to stir. He laid there for a while, but he eventually stood. Yuuri heard the flush of the toilet, then the sound of the coffee pot. He dozed off again until the couch shifted once more, and Victor cuddled back against him. The smell of coffee rose through the air. Victor sipped his and snuggled back into Yuuri, his fingers and toes icy cold from being out of the blankets. 

Yuuri hissed softly and Victor hummed, wordless and amused. “I have coffee,” Victor murmured, his voice still heavy with sleep. His scent fell in blankets around them. It was absolutely not the same as it was, even just yesterday. Yuuri’s request for five more minutes died on his lips. 

He blinked his eyes open slowly. The flush on Victor’s cheeks was slightly darker than before. “Are you feeling okay?” Yuuri asked. 

“Mmm, fine,” Victor replied. “Just sleepy.” He squeezed Yuuri tighter. His skin was hot to the touch. Victor’s icy fingers had distracted Yuuri from the overbearing warmth in Victor’s chest, and when they cuddled close again, Yuuri finally noticed just how warm it was. 

Yuuri felt a ripple of anxiety in his chest. The scent change. The cuddles. The warmth. Was Victor going into heat? But he wasn’t nesting, and that was the surest sign of an omega going into heat. Unless Victor didn’t nest at all? Yuuri’s mind was racing. 

He checked the weather, but it still hadn’t cleared out. This was the worst weather the city had seen in decades, and the snow had turned to freezing rain that made clearing the roads impossible. If something was wrong with Victor, they would have to manage it within the apartment. Leaving was going to be a difficult proposition. 

Trying to stay calm, he stroked Victor’s hair. It served to soothe them both. Yuuri took a slow breath when he thought he was steadier. “Hey, Victor? Have you ever… made a nest before?”

Victor hummed. His voice was still thick with sleep and warmth, making it huskier than normal. “Not really. I tried once when I was younger, but it didn’t feel right. It wasn’t what I wanted.”

“What did you want?” Yuuri asked. Victor’s eyes closed. The warm smell around them deepened. 

“I wanted my partner’s nest. It didn’t feel right to make my own, because it didn’t smell right, didn’t look right. I want… a pretty nest. But I mean, alphas don’t tend to make pretty nests.”

Yuuri stifled a small laugh. “Not usually, no.” He hesitated. Would Victor prefer if Yuuri made him a nest? Alpha nests, the rare times they made them, were chaotic affairs, usually a sloppy shove of pillows and blankets to make room for an omega inside. Was that what Victor wanted? Yuuri tried for a laugh instead. “If it makes you feel better, my nests look ridiculous, too. They never turn out the way I want.”

Victor snuggled in closer. He did chuckle a bit, and it warmed Yuuri’s chest. “I bet yours look amazing. Better than mine, for sure. I bet yours is cozy… smells amazing… soft and right…”

Yuuri felt a curious squirming in his chest when Victor said this, and he had to close his eyes tightly to control himself. He thought back to Phichit’s words so long ago: _If you want to date omegas, I’m not going to judge._ Did… did Yuuri want to date an omega? His body was certainly reacting in strange ways around Victor. Well, Yuuri didn’t find it too weird, just a surprise that the first time he felt attraction to someone, it was to Victor. It didn’t matter what Victor’s secondary was. 

The more Yuuri considered it, the more certain he became. If Victor needed anything… _anything_ at all… Yuuri would be here for him. 

And in the end, maybe Yuuri was wrong. Just because Victor was flushed and warm, it didn’t mean he was going into heat. Maybe he was getting sick. Maybe he just ran warm, after spending the night cuddling with Yuuri. There was any number of rational explanations that didn’t involve a heat. He’d just hold his breath and hope for one of those. 

…

It was not one of those. 

As the day went on, Yuuri became more and more certain of that fact. Victor’s body was hot, but not feverish. He wasn’t the least bit ill. Victor was just clingy all day, and Yuuri didn’t have the heart to pull away. 

He was complicit in horny omega crimes. He was a bad person. 

Victor slept most of the day away, and Yuuri felt only a little bit guilty cuddling up beside him, knowing that Victor was snoozing his way through a preheat. Yuuri knew how he got before a heat: clingy, sleepy, and had a bottomless appetite. 

Victor certainly fulfilled all three. He slept through most of the morning huddled up beside Yuuri, refusing to let go. Yuuri checked the weather again, but it was more of the same. When Victor finally did stir, it was to lift his head and blink slowly, mumbling, “Mmm, hungry.”

Yuuri leapt to his feet to pull something together. Victor moved slower, but he shuffled along behind, resting his chin on Yuuri’s shoulder and watching him cook. It was the nail in the coffin. This was not the Victor that Yuuri had met and chatted with in the coffee shop. This drowsy, clingy heat monster was absolutely a Victor about to go into heat.

He sat Victor down with a plate of food. They couldn’t wait any longer.

“Do you take suppressants?” Yuuri asked. His own was a pill he took every week, but if Victor’s was daily and he’d missed a dose, surely he would have said something? 

Victor hummed. “I do… Every month, I get a shot loaded with suppressants.” 

“And… when was the last time you got one?” Yuuri asked.

“Hm… just a week ago. I should be fine, but I feel so hot. I hate this. Am I getting sick?” he whined. He rubbed his forehead. 

Yuuri could feel the heat in his face rising. This was not good. Worried, he said, “And when was the last time you… ah… took a break from your suppressants?”

Victor was quiet. His heavy eyes fluttered open, hazy for just a moment, before sharpening slightly. He was breathing harder than he should have been. “It’s… been a while. But this round of suppressants was supposed to last me for another few months. I wasn’t told to take a break until… February…” Victor mumbled. “The suppressants shouldn’t give out so soon.”

“I think it’s too late to worry about that,” Yuuri said. He stroked Victor’s hair again. The sweet scent was rising up more and more around them, and Yuuri could feel arousal stirring in the pit of his stomach. He swallowed tightly. 

Victor jerked away suddenly. His face blanched, the flush becoming so shockingly pale that Yuuri was afraid he’d done something wrong. “Oh, shit. Yuuri, I think you’re right. You have to lock me in one of these rooms,” Victor said seriously. “Maybe take some food to your bedroom and lock yourself inside away from me. I’ll try to see if someone can pick me up and take me home. I’m so, so sorry, Yuuri.”

“Lock myself up? Send you away? Victor, I’m not going to make you do that. You and I both know you don’t have enough time before the suppressants break to get home. I can take care of you-”

“No!” Victor panted. He looked frantic. “I- I can’t make you do that, Yuuri. You have to get away from me now, before it’s too late. Please-”

“Too late for what? I know what I’m doing. Neither of us planned for this to happen, but we don’t have time to do anything else about it but ride it out. I- I’m nervous too, but I promise, I’m willing to help you through your heat, Victor.”

“My… heat?” Victor said. “What are you talking about?”

Yuuri looked at Victor like he’d grown two heads. “What do you mean, what am I talking about? You’re going into heat, aren’t you? That’s what happens to omegas like us.”

Victor blinked once, then twice. His knees gave out and he fell into a small heap on the floor, staring at Yuuri. He was breathing hard. “Omega? Wait, you think I’m—” Victor broke off with a heavy pant. His back bowed and he took sharp breaths, clutching at his sides. 

Victor groaned weakly and Yuuri helped Victor up to his feet. His mind whirled. What on earth was Victor panicking about? 

Victor panted heavily, nosing to face Yuuri’s neck and rub him with the scent glands on his wrists. Yuuri was blanketed in thick waves of Victor’s luxurious scent. It was clear Victor’s mind and body were at odds. His every touch was aching to get closer to Yuuri, but his words were laced with nerves and panic and a desperation to break away from Yuuri. 

Yuuri looked around the room. If Victor was truly going into a full heat, the living room was not a good place for him. Even if he didn’t enjoy forming his own nests, he needed space to writhe, as Yuuri often did when in the throes of his own heats. He couldn’t just dump Victor into Phichit’s bedroom. 

There was nothing for it. Yuuri pulled Victor to his own bedroom, leaning down to drop Victor into the bed. “Yuu-ri-” Victor croaked. He bit his lip hard and threw back his head, breathing hard. “I need— I need you to—”

Yuuri knelt by Victor’s side, cupping a hand on Victor’s cheek. “I can stay or go,” he said urgently. “Tell me if I need to leave the room.” 

“Yuuri,” Victor whined. Tears shimmered in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’ve ruined everything.”

“You didn’t ruin anything!” Yuuri said frantically. His own eyes felt hot and wet. “If anything, it’s my fault. I dragged you here, I trapped us both together. I know you don’t want to be more than just friends, and that’s okay! This doesn’t have to change anything. But I don’t— I don’t want you to hurt. I don’t want you to have to be alone because of me,” he whispered. 

“I’m so selfish,” Victor said. He looked away from Yuuri, his face twisted with so much pain that it broke Yuuri’s heart. “I can’t- I can’t ask you to stay. Please, Yuuri, I—”

Yuuri shushed him softly. His chest hurt. Victor’s eyes looked like glittering sapphires. “Trust me,” Yuuri said. “You’ve taken care of me. I really don’t mind returning the favor.”

Victor gasped again, tossing back his head on the bed. His hips rocked upward of their own accord. The scent of him was almost suffocatingly heavy, and Yuuri was struggling to think through it. Victor’s fingers tightened around Yuuri’s wrist. “Yuuri…”

“I- I’ll fix you a nest,” Yuuri stammered. He knelt over Victor, gathering up his blankets and pillows and starting to weave them together. Victor watched with heavy eyes, still breathing hard through his nose. Every movement made Victor groan a little.

Victor tipped his head and inhaled the scent of the pillow beneath his head, his lashes fluttering against his cheek. He bit his lip and moaned. “Smells so good,” he whispered. “Smells like you.”

Yuuri could feel his heart racing faster. He worked a bit quicker. “I’ll be right back okay?” Yuuri said. He had more nesting materials in the closet. He stood up and Victor reached after him, nearly closing a hand around Yuuri’s wrist. 

Victor’s hand was locked in that pose, reaching out, fingers trembling. Yuuri lingered for a second and then hurried out. He heard Victor let out an agonized sound, and he moved even faster, stumbling over his own feet with an armload of extra pillows and blankets. 

He came back, only to be tackle-hugged into the bed atop his armload of bedding. Victor purred. With broad strokes of his cheek, he rubbed his scent over Yuuri’s back and shoulders. “Yuuri, Yuuri,” he cooed. 

It was more predatory than Yuuri had expected from an omega, but Yuuri had only ever helped Phichit through his heats. Victor was unique in so many ways. This was surely just another symptom of that. 

“I’m here, Victor, it’s okay,” Yuuri soothed. He stroked Victor’s hair, managing to turn around and face him properly. “I won’t go anywhere, okay? I’ll help.”

It was doing dangerous things to Yuuri’s heart, to see the instant relief on Victor’s face at the words. Victor crooned softly. Yuuri managed to worm around and shove the bedding into more suitable positions. The scent of heat deepened, becoming thicker, more heavily colored with sex and desire. 

There was a muskiness to it that Yuuri had never noticed before, something that made his toes curl and left him wanting to melt into Victor’s arms. Yuuri felt like a dirty pervert taking advantage of Victor like this, when he was vulnerable. But Victor would suffer less, and that was the most important thing, right?

Victor would have kicked Yuuri out if he didn’t want this, regardless of how far into his heat he was. The thought comforted Yuuri somewhat. 

“What do you need?” Yuuri asked. Victor wrestled with his clothes, and Yuuri helped him out of the shirt he’d borrowed. What was an oversized tee on Yuuri had become a skintight, almost unbearably sexy T-shirt on Victor. It was harder to pull over Victor’s head than expected. The borrowed sweatpants were a similar situation. 

Yuuri sympathized. In the last few minutes of sanity before his heats, he couldn’t bear to wear any clothing either. He often laid naked in his nest, waiting for the worst to come. Yuuri tried not to look down or stare at Victor’s nakedness, even as Victor wrapped himself around Yuuri like a limpet. 

Something hard pressed Yuuri’s leg. Long. Thicker than expected. Victor was frantically scenting Yuuri, not even paying attention to the shock on Yuuri’s face. Slowly, Yuuri let his gaze travel downward. 

He looked back up at Victor, then back down once more to the heavy cock between Victor’s thighs. 

Oh. 

_Oh._

The reason Victor had been so resistant to Yuuri getting close to him, before his “heat” robbed him of his senses. The reason Victor had been so confused when Yuuri had called it a heat in the first place, why he’d looked so surprised at Yuuri calling him an omega. Why Victor had told Yuuri to run. Suddenly, it all made sense. 

Victor was never an omega. He was an alpha, and he hadn’t realized Yuuri had ever thought otherwise. 

Why had he even thought Victor was ever an omega in the first place? Now that he knew, it seemed so painfully obvious. Yuuri felt stupid. Victor had never acted like any alpha Yuuri had ever met before, and Yuuri had simply never thought about it. Maybe he hadn’t wanted to think about it. 

But as Victor peppered frantic kisses along Yuuri’s jaw, grinding his hips along Yuuri’s clothed thigh, Yuuri felt a flash of understanding. This was truly his fault, in the end. Spending so much time with an omega suddenly was sure to do a number on Victor’s body. The influx of pheromones, accidental and otherwise, had an unmistakable effect. Yuuri’s own days were likely numbered, especially spending time with a rutting alpha like this. Few suppressants could hold back in the face of this many raw pheromones being pumped out. 

“Yuuri… Yuuri…” Victor panted. There was a brief moment of clarity, and he gripped the headboard in his hands to hold himself back. He cleared his throat, speaking urgent and low. “If you don’t want this, you have to leave now. It’s your last chance to go back.”

Yuuri hesitated. “But… what if I do?” Victor looked thrown for a loop. “Victor, I don’t care if you’re an alpha or an omega, you’re my friend, and I’ll take care of you. I’m not afraid of you losing yourself to a rut. I’m… I’m just afraid of losing you as a friend.” Yuuri could feel hot tears leaking down his cheeks. 

Victor’s eyes shimmered, liquid and blue. “Yuuri…” he whispered. “I don’t want to scare you away because of this. I know you thought I was an omega, so this must be a shock, but- but I don't want to lose you.”

Yuuri let out a teary laugh. “Maybe I’m selfish, too. I don’t want to lose you, either, but I don’t want you suffering. I promise I’ll do what you want me to do. If you really want me to leave… I will. But if you want me to stay...”

Victor sucked in a shaky breath. His eyes burned hot and bright with desire. “Stay,” he gasped. “Please, stay with me?”

“Of course,” Yuuri said. He felt the crushing weight of Victor’s rut seem to take over the room. It seized Victor, turning his blue eyes to black, and sent his scent spiraling into a musky, hungry, all-consuming wave that blanketed them both. Yuuri bit his lip to muffle a moan. 

It was suddenly painfully obvious that Victor was an alpha. His scent was usually so pleasant and light that Yuuri had assumed wrong time and time again. But in the dark of Yuuri’s bedroom, there was no mistaking it now. 

Victor pulled Yuuri closer, his lips grazing the edge of Yuuri’s jaw. “You promise?” Victor asked. 

“I promise,” Yuuri murmured.

…

Everything was indistinct. His body felt as though it was burning up. It was agony everywhere he turned, except it wasn’t, it was the sweetest pleasure he could imagine. All around him, the sweet scent of omega filled the air. Not just any omega. _Yuuri._

And oh, _oh,_ Yuuri was absolutely everywhere. The bed smelled like him, the pillows smelled like him, the sheets, the blankets, and most importantly, Yuuri himself, so close, like a dream. Victor felt like he was drowning in it. 

He sucked in shallow breaths, trying to regain control of his senses. Every impulse seemed driven by something not his own. His ruts were rarely this overbearing, and it was a concerning sign for what was to come. But Yuuri was here, Yuuri, precious, lovely Yuuri…

Victor whined low in the back of his throat, and Yuuri ran his fingers through Victor’s long hair, stroking it from root to tip. His fingers snagged on a knot, and Victor couldn’t help the pleased groan that slipped past his lips. Focus, he had to focus. 

He forced his eyes open. Yuuri was so close to him, soft and rumpled and beautiful, his hair tousled. When Yuuri looked up at him, Victor couldn’t help the pang of icy cold guilt that ripped through him. 

He’d been in denial for too long. Ignoring the physical attraction meant nothing, _nothing._ Victor’s hormones would always have the last say in the matter, no matter what he tried. There was something almost comforting about that. 

Victor couldn’t lie to himself any more. Everything was pure and intensified a thousandfold. Every desire was real, only magnified, and he could barely contain the amount of hunger he felt. When he closed his eyes, he dreamed of Yuuri’s flawless arabesque, the graceful arch of his spine as he leapt and twirled on stage. When he opened them, he saw the heart-stoppingly beautiful smile and the way Yuuri’s eyes sparkled brighter than a glass of champagne. 

He tasted his rut in the back of his throat. Was Yuuri disappointed that Victor wasn't an omega? Had he been hoping for a delicate thing, someone who would treat him gently, instead of the feral beast Victor was so close to becoming? 

Yuuri’s hands smoothed over his face. Victor couldn’t hold back the sounds in the back of his throat. Every inch of skin was burning, but Yuuri was the salve that made it all better. Victor could drown in it. There wasn’t any fear or hesitation in Yuuri’s eyes. He could see only fire burning bright, bold with a fiery determination that set Victor’s very soul alight. 

Yuuri wasn’t backing down. The periphery became indistinct, falling away until Yuuri was the only thing in focus. Victor let his hands slide worshipfully over Yuuri’s body. He couldn’t breathe, his chest felt so tight. 

The heat boiled up inside him. He barely held back his rut by the skin of his teeth, even as it roared and lashed out inside him. 

His senses were heightened. He could see the soft flush on Yuuri’s cheeks, the smooth expanse of his cheek and curve of his jaw. The sweet scent of fresh slick colored the air, and Victor could almost taste it on his tongue. He felt possessive and greedy and absolutely _ravenous._ The omega beneath him was a visual feast, laid out just for him, and he could no longer hold himself back. 

He descended upon that oh-so beautiful omega, peppering frantic kisses and love bites over every inch of exposed skin. His hands fumbled at the clothing, tugging wildly. Yuuri laughed softly. Victor could hardly hear over the roar of his pulse in his ears, the throbbing heat between his legs almost more than he could bear. 

He needed to be buried inside the tight heat of this omega, and he needed it now. He growled low and yanked the shirt from Yuuri’s head. The smell of slick on the air was driving him mad with desire. Yuuri was wet and willing and waiting for Victor to claim him. 

The impulsive whines built in the back of Victor’s throat as he blindly fumbled with the waistband of Yuuri's pants. He yanked them down. It exposed generous, muscular thighs and a small, hard omega cocklet. The tip of that cute little cock was drooling, and the sweet aroma of slick grew stronger. Yuuri parted his legs slightly. Victor could see the gleam between his cheeks in the low light of the room. 

He growled with hunger before devouring Yuuri. No trace of skin was safe. Now that Yuuri was stripped bare, nothing stood in the way of his hungry kisses. His teeth sank into the skin hard enough to bring out a beautiful hitch of Yuuri’s breath. A moan followed, and he soothed each bite with a long drag of his tongue before he moved on. 

Yuuri shifted against the wall of the nest. His eyes fluttered heavily, the scent of pleasure filling the air and blanketing the bedding around them. Even on short notice, the nest was like a dream. Victor preened as he kissed the insides of Yuuri’s thighs, barely able to contain the joy and desire he felt. 

He could spend an eternity in this nest. Every part of his being loved curling up in something that smelled so much like Yuuri. If he could stay forever for he would, indolently pleasuring them both. The warmth, the scent— he wanted it surrounding him and filling his lungs, wanted it all around him and covering his skin. He wanted more than anything to be buried in the tight heat of it all. 

Yuuri’s breathless gasps pitched up higher as Victor nipped and kissed his way into the inner seam between Yuuri’s leg and groin. Yuuri bucked with a sharper gasp than before. He rolled to his side, working his way to his stomach before presenting himself. 

Yuuri’s ass wagged in the air, the temptation more than Victor could bear. The arch of his back made a sinuous, curving line up and around the generous swell of Yuuri’s pert, round buttocks. He was so pretty, so breathtaking, Victor couldn’t hold himself back. He gripped Yuuri’s waist and licked a hot stripe up the back, finally tasting the gleaming slick pooling between Yuuri’s legs. 

He groaned. This was surely heaven on earth. He buried his face between Yuuri’s legs, listening to the music of Yuuri’s breathy cries as he kissed the entrance like a lover. The sweet slick painted over his lips and tongue, his sloppy kisses near frantic as he fucked Yuuri on his tongue. Finally, it was too much for him. 

He panted hard as he pulled back, and he mounted Yuuri from behind. His arms wrapped around Yuuri’s torso, hugging him close, while his thighs braced against Yuuri’s own. His cock kissed the sopping entrance. Yuuri keened softly. Victor buried his face into Yuuri’s neck as he thrust smoothly inside.

Yuuri’s voice rose louder, sweeter, and Victor cried out as well as he felt Yuuri envelop his cock completely. No mortal delights on earth could compare to the feeling of being wrapped up like this. Yuuri’s body was so hot and wet, pulsing around him like the filthiest dream. 

He had never felt anything like this, not in any of the other omegas he’d bedded in the past, not with any of his toys or hand. No rut had ever felt like this. He was connected to Yuuri on the absolute deepest, most intimate level possible. The joining of their bodies was absolute, the world so blurry that Victor could barely tell where he ended and Yuuri began. 

His carnal hunger flushed out any other thoughts and he started to move. Each wet slap of skin drew out more of Yuuri’s beautiful moans and cries. It was frantic, fast and hard and so deep that Victor felt his senses snap. His teeth sank into Yuuri’s shoulder, inches from the mating gland that tempted him so. He couldn’t hold himself back any longer. 

He fucked like there was nothing else in this world except for the sound of Yuuri’s voice, screaming out, “oh, fuck, Victor- harder, oh god yes!” Victor planted his knees and rocked their hips, the new angle letting him thrust down and plunge his cock deep enough inside Yuuri to feel it along every inch of his length. His body sang. 

The feral claiming was hot and filthy. He could live the rest of his life here, buried inside Yuuri’s body, letting the muscles milk his cock for every drop of cum he could give. Yuuri moaned as he came, and his body fluttered and pulsed, begging Victor to cum inside. His release was so close now, it hurt. 

His cock was hard as a fucking rock, the slightly puffy knot dragging against Yuuri’s inner walls with each thrust. It was starting to tug at Yuuri’s entrance. He was so close. The thrusts were harder now, the knot resisting as it pushed against the ring of muscle. Yuuri slammed his hips back, meeting Victor’s next thrust, and the knot popped inside. Victor bottomed out with a deep purr, his chest rumbling as the knot locked them together. 

His seed gushed inside, thick spurts filling Yuuri full of his spend and keeping it trapped inside. Yuuri was so greedy for it, swearing and praising Victor in turn for how it felt. Victor lived for it. Happy, content omega scent was almost overwhelming around them, and it was enough to make Victor’s still fiercely hard cock pulse again, sending another wave of cum flowing inside. 

He came and came. Yuuri was sinfully tight around him, and Victor could almost imagine that the tiny swell of Yuuri’s tummy wasn’t just from cum, but from something else. The wild thought took over, and Victor moaned. He could see Yuuri heavy with his get, pregnant and beautiful and begging for more. He must have been saying this aloud, because Yuuri tightened around him with a shaky moan. 

“Yes, aaah, Victor, please! Make me pregnant. Fuck me harder!” Demanding more, Yuuri rocked his hips, bobbing on the knot so that it pulled at his rim, but didn’t come free. 

Victor ran his tongue over the bruised skin of Yuuri’s shoulder and whispered hotly into Yuuri, ear, “Mmmn, my Yuuri, I’ll knock you up, I’ll fill you full, my sweet, my darling omega.” Yuuri clenched around him and came again, his body clutching at Victor’s cock as though demanding Victor fulfill that promise now. 

Victor growled, feeling his knot start to loosen. His rut still burned hot inside of him. His balls were aching and full, and he had a stunning omega before him with legs spread, begging for him to pump more seed into that greedy little hole. Victor was more than happy to comply. 

He rolled Yuuri onto his back, and he fucked him just like that, pushing his cock back into that sloppy, well-fucked hole. Yuuri was drooling and leaking everywhere, giving off the headiest mix of scents. Cum leaked from the tip of his cock without pause, the stimulation to Yuuri’s prostate wringing him senseless and dry. Cum and slick made his body so easy to fuck. 

Victor knotted Yuuri again, and this time their lips met as the knot pushed inside. They tasted so sweet, like heaven on earth, cool as ice against the overwhelming heat all around him. Victor melted against the soft touches, his hips finally slowing. 

Yuuri’s kisses were solid ground in a tumultuous sea. Victor could feel the feral edge of his senses, and he held it back, fighting for clarity. He could feel hands petting his hair, legs wrapped around his hips. Yuuri’s eyes were dark and blissed out. 

The room was dark, with only moonlight to draw out the faintest edges of color. It must have been late. Victor gently laid on his side, tucking Yuuri against his chest. The knot would go down soon. And though Victor could feel himself getting slightly under control, he didn’t trust himself entirely just yet. 

Yuuri was purring hard against him. Victor couldn’t help the small smile that pulled at his lips, the little bubble of laughter as he looked fondly down at Yuuri. Yuuri opened his eyes sleepily. “Mmm? Victor? How do you feel?”

“A little more in control of myself,” Victor murmured. He was exhausted, too, and it was nice to be knotted and not be expected to move much. “And you? How do you feel, Yuuri? Did I hurt you?” He cautiously probed the dark bruise on Yuuri’s shoulder where his teeth had been anything but gentle. 

“I feel full,” Yuuri said. He sounded like the cat that got the cream, his hand rubbing the soft swell of his stomach. Yuuri’s eyes fluttered. “Feels so good, having you inside me. I didn’t think it would feel this nice.”

Victor was relieved. Still, he checked Yuuri over, finding a few more kiss marks and slowly darkening bruises here and there where he had been slightly too harsh. Yuuri stroked Victor’s hair softly, combing it with his fingers to pick out the knots that had formed. 

Victor was exhausted, but he had enough energy to smile softly and kiss Yuuri’s nose. “So… you really thought I was an omega?”

Yuuri pouted. “In my defense, I’ve never seen such a pretty alpha before. When I met you at the mixer, your sticker said omega, and I didn’t question it.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Victor mused. He sighed. “I asked my intern to sign me and Georgi up for that. I even made him promise not to play any pranks, but he did anyway. I didn’t think about it too much, but I suppose it was cruelly misleading, wasn’t it?”

“I’m not upset. Honestly, I’m just glad you’re not upset with me thinking you’re omega when you’re not. I feel kind of bad.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Victor said. “I’ve never cared much for labels or being perceived a certain way. I just want everyone to feel beautiful the way they are. It’s why I love fashion so much. I can design clothes that bring out the beauty in people, no matter their secondary gender.” Yuuri hummed and smiled. 

Victor returned the smile, leaning into Yuuri’s touch. He went still. 

“Wait, Yuuri…” An alien wave of self-doubt plagued him. He’d never felt anything like it, and the thought wormed into his mind before he could stop it. “Would you… prefer an omega?” Yuuri paused, and then he started to laugh. Victor frowned. “Yuuuri, I’m being serious!”

“I’m sorry!” Yuuri said, wiping away a tear. He hugged Victor. “I don’t mean to laugh, I promise. It’s just… all this time, I thought there was no way you would want an omega like me. I thought that maybe you would rather I be an alpha. So hearing you ask me if I would rather date an omega Victor is funny. I would love you the same, no matter what secondary you were,” Yuuri murmured. 

Suddenly Yuuri’s face went bright red, his cheeks hot to the touch. “I mean- oh god, ignore me. When I say love, I mean—”

“I love you, too, Yuuri,” Victor said warmly. His eyes closed and he held Yuuri close. “We’ll just have to find a way to make time for lovers after all.”

Yuuri’s sputtering fell quiet, and he snuggled back in. “Well, I am pretty busy,” Yuuri murmured. “But I might be able to manage. Think you’ve got some room in your schedule for me?”

Victor smiled. “For you? Always.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/aurumauri14)!!


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